S&H- Closer Now
by harrimaniac27
Summary: Oneshot- Starsky and Hutch go on a road trip for work, but the department car breaks down on the way to Durango and they're stuck in Farmington for the night. Wonder what happens when two tired cops share a tiny, cramped motel shower? (Warnings: pre-slash/slash)


Fandom: Starsky and Hutch

Type: Canon Universe (1977)

Prompt: road trip/breakdown

Warnings: pre-slash/slash

-%-

Hutch sighed as he and Starsky trudged towards their motel room. It was just their luck that the car they were issued would break down in the middle-of-nowhere New Mexico. Hutch rubbed the back of his neck, grimacing at how sweaty and gritty it was. He was grateful that they'd been able to call Captain Dobey, arrange to get the first car towed, and to get another car sent down to them. Unfortunately, it meant they were stuck in Farmington for the night and would be greatly delayed in getting to Durango.

He almost wished they'd been able to fly in...not that he minded the road trip—he was used to being in a car with Starsky for long periods of time. But this road trip had just seemed to go from weird to bad to worse from the second they had left California. It had started with the weird noises when they merged onto I-40, then the car had started to shake at higher speeds, then it finally gave out 10 miles south of Farmington.

Starsky unlocked the door to their room and the two men threw their bags down and collapsed onto their beds.

"I can't believe we walked all the way here," said Hutch.

"Me either," Starsky's voice was slightly muffled by the pillow he was currently face-planted in, but he knew Hutch understood him anyway. "I never wanna see another tumbleweed or cactus again in my whole life."

Hutch nodded his agreement, even though he knew Starsky couldn't see him.

"I need a shower," Hutch said after a while.

"So do I," came the muffled response.

Hutch got up and opened his bag, getting out a towel and a change of clothes. He started walking toward the bathroom when he noticed Starsky heading there as well, a towel and a change of clothes under his arm.

"I get to go first, Starsky," Hutch said, putting a hand on his partner's chest to stop him.

"Oh, no you don't!" Starsky said, shoving past him and trying to close the bathroom door.

Hutch glared. Under normal circumstances, he would be too tired for this, but right now, he needed a shower and he was feeling much too stubborn to let Starsky win. He shouldered the door open, charging into the bathroom.

Starsky threw down his change of clothes, took off his shirt at light speed, and started to untie his shoes. Hutch glared at him some more. Oh, so it was a race now? First one in the shower wins? Alright, two could play that game. Hutch started unbuttoning his shirt and toed off his boots. Starsky kicked off his shoes and unzipped his pants, dropping them to the floor. Hutch pulled off his shirt and unzipped his pants, too. While he was struggling with his socks, Starsky had already taken off his socks and underwear and was turning on the water.

Hutch got his socks off, but not before Starsky jumped into the shower and yelled, "HA!" at him, swishing the curtain shut. Hutch kept glaring as he took off his boxers. As far as he was concerned, Starsky'd won the battle, but not the war. He yanked back the curtain and got into the shower, too. If Starsky wouldn't let him go first, he was just going to have to share.

Starsky stared at Hutch as he snatched the little motel's complimentary bottle of shampoo out of Starsky's hands.

" _What_?!" Hutch snapped, still glaring as he poured some of the shampoo into his hand.

"I...uh...I..." Starsky trailed off. He blinked a few times, shrugged, and rubbed some shampoo into his hair.

Hutch turned around as he shampooed his own hair. He was too caught up in his emotions to realise that Starsky had taken one look at him and turned bright red.

Starsky let his eyes linger for a moment on Hutch's backside. Hutch was pretty well-put-together...and...while Starsky'd never really paid much attention to his partner's butt before...now that he had a chance to really look at it, it was kinda hard to look away. It was well-formed and muscular from all that jogging Hutch liked to do, and it looked even better naked than it did covered by his pants.

Starsky closed his eyes and shook his head. He felt guilty; like a teenager taking little peeks at his best buddy in the locker room. He turned around, keeping his eyes closed as he started to rinse the shampoo out of his hair.

Hutch was still glaring as he turned around to face Starsky. He was about to say something, but as he turned, his jaw went slack and he couldn't help staring at the sight before him. Starsky had his head tipped back into the stream of water and was running his fingers through his hair, rinsing out the shampoo...and Hutch found himself thinking that he'd never realised just how nice his partner looked. He stood there blinking, his mouth slightly open, transfixed as he watched the soapy water slowly wash over Starsky's biceps and down his chest through that thick forest of hair.

Hutch raised a brow and looked away. What the hell was he doing?! He shouldn't be gawking at his partner like that! He looked down, but he couldn't resist taking another little peek...he glanced up just as Starsky finished rinsing his hair. He quickly looked down again and put the glare back on his face, pretending to be more interested in rubbing some extra shampoo on his arm than he had been in looking at Starsky moments earlier.

Starsky wiped the water off of his face and looked at Hutch, who was still glaring and rubbing some extra shampoo on his arm. Starsky stepped forward, gesturing for Hutch to switch places with him. Hutch looked up at him and nodded, stepping forward and edging past Starsky.

Starsky let out a breath and reached for one of the motel's little complimentary bars of soap. He hadn't really expected Hutch to just hop into the shower with him...but as he rubbed the bar of soap over his chest, he had to admit that he didn't mind it so much. The scenery in this shower was much nicer than the vast expanse of desert they'd walked through that day.

Starsky peeked over his shoulder. Hutch had his head tipped back into the stream of water and was running his hands through his hair to rinse out the shampoo. Starsky almost dropped his bar of soap. He watched, mesmerised as the soapy water slowly ran down Hutch's chest and over his legs...Blonde blintz _indeed_. He looked good enough to eat.

Starsky snapped his head forward and squeezed his eyes shut, inwardly kicking himself for thinking like that. Starsky focused on rubbing the bar of soap over his legs. Hutch was his partner, for god's sake! He wasn't supposed to be drooling over him like a pastry in a baker's shop.

He suddenly stopped. How was he supposed to clean his junk with Hutch in the shower? He shook his head and decided to just go for it. What could it hurt? Hutch obviously didn't care, or he wouldn't have jumped into the shower with him, right? He stayed facing the wall of the shower as he cleaned himself, trying to salvage what little modesty he had left.

Hutch wiped the water out of his eyes as he finished rinsing the shampoo out his hair. When he opened his eyes, he glanced at Starsky, then at the shower curtain...then his eyes grew wide and he looked back at Starsky. Starsky was facing away from him, but it was obvious what he was doing. Hutch let his mouth fall open slightly. Starsky had quite a nice backside...Hutch was almost fascinated watching the muscles in Starsky's shoulders work as he cleaned himself. Hutch felt his face flush a bit and he quickly looked down, feeling guilty for enjoying the sight as much as he did. He tried not to think about it as he grabbed the other bar of soap.

Hutch was lost in his own thoughts, rubbing the bar over his arms, when he heard Starsky clear his throat. He looked up at Starsky, who was covered in soap.

"Can I...get by?" Starsky asked, avoiding Hutch's eyes as he gestured to the stream of water.

Hutch nodded and stepped aside, looking away as Starsky edged past him and into the stream. Hutch couldn't help himself; he peeked over his shoulder and watched the water wash over Starsky's muscular backside, rinsing away the soap. He looked away just as Starsky started to turn around. He focused on rubbing the bar of soap across his chest and down over his abs, silently grateful that Starsky couldn't read minds. He tried to get himself to stop thinking about how beautiful Starsky's shoulder muscles were as he rubbed the bar of soap under his arms, then down his sides, then back over his shoulders, struggling to wash as much of his back as he could reach.

Starsky (not for his lack of trying not to) found himself staring at Hutch again. He furrowed his brows as he watched Hutch struggle to reach the middle of his back with the bar of soap. He'd stretch his hand out and almost lose grip of the soap, then get his grip on it again and not be able to reach as far. Starsky could tell he was starting to get a little frustrated.

"Hutch..."

Hutch tensed up when he felt something touch the place between his shoulder blades that he kept failing to reach, but it felt so nice, he started to relax after a minute.

"Lower..." he blurted out. He grimaced. He hadn't meant for that to come out...but he was surprised when Starsky complied.

Starsky was mesmerised as he rubbed the bar of soap in little circles down Hutch's spine and over the small of his back...then he realised Hutch could probably reach that spot if he wanted to. His heart was racing as he rubbed the bar of soap back up between Hutch's shoulder blades and cleared his throat.

"There, uh...that help?"

Hutch nodded and turned around a little, looking at Starsky. "Uh, yeah. Thanks."

"Ah, good." Starsky nodded and stopped rubbing. He looked away and put the bar of soap down. "Y'welcome."

Hutch blinked at Starsky, noticing only just then that he was blushing. But was it because he was embarrassed, or was it...something else? Hutch wanted to test this theory, but he wasn't sure how...

Well, maybe he knew _exactly_ how. Hutch took a breath. He wasn't sure this was the best idea, but he stayed facing Starsky and began rubbing the bar of soap between his legs.

Starsky's eyes grew wide. He couldn't stop staring. His mouth fell open. Wow, either Hutch really didn't care or he was...no. Starsky couldn't believe Hutch would do that on purpose just to feel him out...that was a pretty selfish thing to think. Nevertheless, he really couldn't bring himself to look away. He blinked, his mind desperately telling him to look away before Hutch noticed he was staring, but he just couldn't do it.

Hutch looked up and fought off a smirk when he noticed Starsky's mesmerised expression. So Starsky _was_ interested.

"What's the matter?" Hutch asked in a soft voice. "You want to help?"

Starsky stared at him with wide eyes. Of _course_ he did, but he couldn't believe Hutch would actually _ask_ him that, so he just stood there, blinking at Hutch with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Hutch couldn't help smiling at him. That confused look was almost endearing. Starsky sorta smiled back with half his face when he saw Hutch's smile...which seemed to be the permission Starsky was looking for, because he suddenly stepped forward and took the bar of soap out of Hutch's hand, rubbed it over Hutch's hip and back to the small of his back before pressing his body against Hutch's and gently kissing his lips. Hutch gasped. His heart was pounding in his ears and he felt a little weak in the knees. He put his arms around Starsky to steady himself and leaned against him a bit. He hadn't expected Starsky to be so forward, but right then, he was just content to go along for the ride.

Starsky smiled. The funny thing was, he'd showered around Hutch before...but they'd never shared such a cramped space with one shower head before. Starsky wondered if it was because they had to share the shower head that, this time, he'd been forced to actually look at what he'd been purposefully missing.

Starsky walked Hutch back into the stream of water and rinsed off the soap he'd just rubbed onto his back. He ran a hand down Hutch's spine and stopped at the small of his back. He couldn't explain it, but it felt so good to touch Hutch like this.

"We...shouldn't be doing this..." Hutch said breathlessly, smiling as Starsky's lips grazed against his neck. He didn't sound like he meant what he'd just said at all.

Starsky smirked. Hutch made these little noises as Starsky kissed his neck, and he was enjoying them much more than he'd expected to.

"Who cares...about 'shouldn't'?"

Hutch moaned as the bar of soap in Starsky's hand found its way down his chest and abdomen to his groin.

"Starsky..."

Hearing Hutch whine his name like that sent a shiver down Starsky's spine. At least he could tell by Hutch's tone that he was doing something right. Most of his previous lovers hadn't really given him much of an idea. It was astonishing to him how comfortable he felt stroking his partner in the shower like this...holding him close from behind.

Hutch grasped at the shower curtain and bucked his hips...Starsky's hand was like magic. He couldn't believe how fast he'd gotten hard with his partner's hand working on him, or how listening to Starsky breathing in his ear was bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

He opened his eyes and made a disappointed noise when Starsky stopped suddenly, but before he knew what was going on, Starsky's mouth was on his and he felt Starsky's lower body press against his own. Starsky's mouth explored his cheek before it returned to his neck, and he felt Starsky grasp the both of them with one of his hands. Hutch let out a low groan as Starsky began to stroke them both.

A part of Hutch's mind was shouting, _we really shouldn't be doing this_ , but Starsky's warm hand felt so good, he didn't really care about the concepts of right and wrong at the moment. Starsky's rhythm started out slow and steady, but as Starsky's heart rate increased, his breathing became more ragged and his hand began to work faster and faster. Hutch tried to be quiet. He knew there were other guests at this motel. He bit his lip, but he couldn't help letting out a loud, low groan as they both came against the tile of the shower wall.

"Starsky..."

"Oh, Hutch..."

Starsky let his forehead rest against Hutch's as they both panted and steadied themselves against the wall of the shower. They let the hot water pour over them as what had just happened started to sink in. Some small, "sensible" part of Hutch wanted to pull away, to say that what they'd just done was wrong, but most of him just wanted for Starsky to kiss him again...if only to keep feeling his touch.

Starsky stared at their feet and wondered why it had felt so good to do what they had just done. He felt Hutch's arm move up to his shoulder. It _did_ feel good to touch him. He he had always liked touching Hutch...whether it be as simple as a touch on the shoulder or as intimate as a hug...It made him feel connected to him, and he had to admit that he'd never felt more connected to Hutch than he did now. He suddenly wondered why he'd never tried this before.

He leaned forward and kissed Hutch's neck, enjoying the little gasp and sigh that it earned him. He pulled back so he could make eye-contact as he turned off the water. Hutch's eyes were full of questions and unspoken words. He was suddenly afraid Hutch was having second thoughts.

He and Hutch dried off and got dressed in silence, tension hanging thick in the air. They walked back out to their beds and sat down, both afraid to say anything.

Starsky looked at Hutch, who was brooding with a confused look on his face. He finally got up the courage to clear his throat, breaking the silence and causing Hutch to look up at him. Starksy found it difficult to maintain eye-contact.

"You know...I really enjoyed that," Starsky said softly.

Hutch opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything, so he shut it again. He stared off into space somewhere. He felt conflicted. He wanted to tell Starsky that he enjoyed it too; and he had, very much. But he also felt like they were breaking all the rules. They were partners. They worked together.

"Starsk...I don't know how this is going to work..."

Starsky's pained expression hit Hutch hard in the chest, and he felt tempted to get up and go to him. He hesitated, watching Starsky as he looked down at the floor.

"Did you...at least...get something out of it?"

Hutch nodded.

"Starsky, it was...you were..."

Starsky looked up at him as he looked up at the ceiling, trying to find the right words.

"It felt...wonderful."

A slight smile curled the corners of Starsky's lips, but he wouldn't let himself smile all the way.

"...but?" He said, sensing that Hutch had more to say.

Hutch sighed. Starsky knew him too well.

"Starsky. We're partners. How would we make it work? It's probably against every rule in the book-"

"Wait a minute, since when do you follow the book?" Starsky asked, pointing a finger at Hutch.

Hutch couldn't answer him. He blinked at him and searched for an answer in the back of his mind.

"I'm serious, Hutch. Since when? We've been bending the rules for years. Why should this be any different, huh?"

Hutch's mouth was open, but he couldn't make any sound. He finally decided that he couldn't find an answer in the back of his mind because he didn't have one there, so he shut his mouth and looked down.

"It's different because you're scared, isn't it?" Starsky said softly. He put a hand up when Hutch looked at him like he was about to make a retort.

"Look, I'm scared too, Hutch," Starsky admitted, causing hutch's expression to change.

"I never had a best friend like you. I...never had someone I could tell everything to. We share almost everything. You're closer to me than my own brother is. And...I don't want to lose that."

"Starsk-"

"I'm not done," Starsky said. "I've ruined my share of friendships when I wanted more...But...somehow I know this would be different."

Hutch stared at him, searching his eyes.

"I have never felt more comfortable touching someone the way I touched you tonight."

Starsky whispered it, as if he didn't want anyone but Hutch to hear it, and it sent shivers up Hutch's spine.

"I don't want that to go away...Hutch, I don't want to dismiss it just because I'm a little afraid of the consequences. We take risks all the time. And I think...I know this one's worth it."

Hutch couldn't argue...and he suddenly realised that it was because he didn't want to. He'd never felt closer to someone than he just had with his partner in the shower. He'd never felt that way before at all. Not even with his ex-wife. He furrowed his brows. It all seemed so stupid...he'd worked so hard to feel a connection with the women he'd dated before. Yet tonight, he just happens to jump in the shower with Starsky for ten minutes and the connection happens spontaneously? It felt backward and confusing, but it also felt wonderful and exciting. Hutch stared at his hands. He had no idea how he was supposed to feel.

"It's...not gonna be easy..." he said finally.

Starsky finally let himself smile.

"You and I both like a challenge, Hutch. We didn't become cops for the easy life."

Hutch couldn't stop himself from smiling then. Starsky was right about that. He looked up at Starsky. Starsky was right about a lot of things.

"Alright, you win," Hutch said. "I'm scared. I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend, and I don't know what I'd do if that fell apart."

Starsky looked at Hutch with an understanding look for a while before he stood up and walked over to Hutch's bed, sitting next to him and gently taking his hand.

"We better make sure it doesn't, then, huh?"

Hutch felt a warmth spread over his chest as Starsky held his hand. None of it felt wrong now...that had been the fear talking. Now that he'd admitted it to himself, he felt strangely satisfied. He rested his head on Starsky's shoulder and put his arms around him. He and Starsky had plenty of practice working out their differences. They'd been partners for years and had their disagreements, but they'd stayed friends this long. Somehow Hutch knew that if anyone would stay with him for better or for worse, it would be Starsky. He smiled against his partner's shoulder. They could handle this. Whatever it was going to mean for them, they could handle it.

"You know," Starsky said after a while, stroking Hutch's hand with his thumb.

"Hmm?" Hutch hummed against his partner's shoulder.

"I'm glad the car broke down."

Hutch's face contorted into a confused expression on Starsky's shoulder.

"And I'm glad we walked ten miles through the desert."

Hutch lifted his head so he could show his partner his confused look. Starsky smiled at him.

"And you know what? I'd be happy to see a thousand more tumbleweeds and a hundred more cacti."

"Why?"

"Because...now they'll remind me of tonight. And I'm glad we walked ten miles because if we hadn't, we probably wouldn't have taken that shower. And I'm glad the car broke down because if it hadn't, I probably wouldn't feel as happy as I do right now."

Hutch smiled at his partner. Starsky could look on the bright side of a black hole.

"In that case," Hutch said. "I'm glad too."

-%-

 _ **AN:**_ I did leave the potential for a longer story in here just in case I wanted to keep going, but I think this is just going to be a oneshot for now (Mostly, I wrote this because I wanted Starsky and Hutch to share a little cramped motel shower. I just needed that in my life). Hope you enjoyed it!


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